September 30th Test Flashcards
The Declaration of Independence was written primarily by ____________ on July 4, 17___?
Thomas Jefferson in 1776
The __________ of ___________ is essentially a letter to King George III of Britain to the British parliament explaining to them that the colonies would be leaving the British Empire and forming their own country.
Declaration of Independence
In The Declaration of Independence, this document, Thomas Jefferson writes that all people are born equal and are born
with natural rights that cannot be taken from them. These natural rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This idea originated with the philosopher_____?
John Locke
Jefferson goes on to state that governments exist to protect natural rights and that they must come from the _________ of the __________?
Consent of the government
A government that is not agreed upon by the people is not a legitimate government, and the people have the right to _______ or _________ it
Alter or abolish it
Jefferson then lists a series of ___________ or _________, that the colonists have against the King
Grievances or complaints
List the 7 grievances that were listed in the Declaration of Independence
• Taxation without representation.
• Quartering of soldiers during times of peace.
• Not letting colonists cross the Appalachian Mountains and settle the Ohio Territory
• The King did not let us make our own laws and closed our assemblies (legislatures).
• Closed Boston Harbor.
• Cutting off trade with the rest of the world.
• Did not let us have trial by jury; closed our courts.
The articles of confederation was a first attempt at a _________ ___________.
National constitution
The articles of confederation created a ___________: the individual parts had most of the power.
Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were only used during the years of ____ - ____. It was scrapped in favor of a new ____________.
1776 - 1789
Constitution
The Articles of Confederation allowed the National government to do what 3 things?
• Had a legislative branch and could make laws.
• The national government could borrow money.
• Could declare war and make treaties.
Major problems with the National government under the Articles of Confederation were? List 8 major problems.
• The central government under the articles only had one branch (legislative/congress). It took 9 out of the 13 states to pass a law. Each state got one vote.
• Even if they somehow managed to pass a law, it had very little meaning because there was no Executive Branch to enforce the laws.
• They could not collect taxes; the national government had to ask the states for money.
• There was no Judicial Branch. This meant that states could not settle their disputes, nor could citizens in different states settle their disputes.
• States could, and did, ignore the central government. They were essentially independent from each other.
• Each state had its own currency (money), which made business very difficult, and they would routinely tax each other’s goods.
• To amend (change/update) the Articles of Confederation, ALL 13 states had to agree to
the changes. This was almost impossible!
• Even though the national government could declare war, they had no money to raise an army
What did Shays’ Rebellion show?
Showed how weak the government was under the Articles of Confederation and why they needed to be amended (changed).
• Massachusetts asked other states for help, but they offered none.
• The central government could not put together an army to stop Daniel Shays and his men.
What did Shays’ Rebellion show?
Showed how weak the government was under the Articles of Confederation and why they needed to be amended (changed).
Who was Daniel Shays and what was he known for in the Revolutionary War?
• Daniel Shays was a farmer from Massachusetts that was heavily indebted to the state government.
• Daniel Shays was a Revolutionary War veteran that was owed back pay by the national government that they could not give to them due to their inability to collect taxes.
• Daniel Shays rounded up other angry farmers and rebelled against the Massachusetts state government.
During Shays Rebellion, Massachusetts asked other states for help, but what happened?
They offered none.
The __________ ____________ could not put together an army to stop Daniel Shays and his men.
Central government
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was a direct result of _______ _____________.
Shays Rebellion
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was where ___ of the ___ states met in Philadelphia to try and amend the Articles
of Confederation. Which state did not send anyone?
12 of 13 states
Rhode Island did not send anyone
Factions were quickly formed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and what broke out?
A fight
During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, The delegates argued about what 3 things?
- how strong to make the national government
- what to do about slavery
- and what to do about representation in Congress
During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegates formed political groups called ___________ and ________________.
Federalists and Anti-Federalists
The Federalists were a group of people that thought the _________ of _____________ should be _________ and ___________.
Articles of Confederation should be scrapped and rewritten
The Federalists wanted what kind of government?
A strong central government
The Federalists wanted what kind of government?
A strong central government
Which 4 men were Federalists?
- James Madison
- John Jay
- Alexander Hamilton
- John Adams
The Federalists believed that only a completely new ____________, with a stronger _______ government, could correct the problems experienced under the Articles of Confederation.
Constitution, central
The Federalists were opposed to a separate _____ of _______as they thought that it was _________.
Bill of Rights, redundant
The Federalists put out a series of newspaper articles called the “__________ _________ that successfully argued for a new constitution and stronger national government.
“Federalist Papers”
The Federalists wanted national government to have authority over the _______.
States
Antifederalists were a group that argued against The ___________.
Constitution
Antifederalists wanted to keep the ___________ of _______________.
Articles of Confederation
Who were extremely worried that the new government being created by the new constitution would become a tyranny and harm the people and take power from the state governments?
Antifederalists
Antifederalists wanted the states to have more _______ when it came to running the country.
power
What 3 men were Antifederalists?
- Patrick Henry
- Paul Revere
- Thomas Jefferson
The Antifederalists eventually agreed to the new constitution, but only after the ____ of ______ was included, which they got.
Bill of Rights
One of the major arguments was between the delegates from ______ states and ______ states.
Large states and small states
The big state delegates wanted congress to be based on the population of the _____ (VA Plan). And the small state delegates wanted to keep it the way it was under the ________ of _____________ (based on equal representation).
state, Articles of Confederation
The big state delegates wanted congress to be based on the population of the _____ (VA Plan). And the small state delegates wanted to keep it the way it was under the ________ of _____________ (based on equal representation).
state, Articles of Confederation
In the end, the two sides compromised and created a bicameral (two-chamber) congress based on ____ _____. This was called the Great ___________ or ____________ Plan/Compromise.
both plans, Compromise, Connecticut
What is a bicameral congress?
Two chamber congress
3/5 Compromise was another argument centered around what to do about counting _______ as a part of the
population for representation purposes.
Slaves
The southern states wanted their slaves counted because it would mean that they
would get more members into the _____ of _____________ (and thus more power).
House of Representatives
The northern states were opposed to counting the slaves for the ____ reason.
Same
In the end, they agreed to count __% of the slaves for representation purposes (3/5).
60%
After the American Revolution, the United States acquired more land west of the
Appalachian Mountains, which was called what?
Westward expansion
Congress passed the Land Ordinance of 17__. This law directed the new territory to be divided into square townships measuring __ miles on each side. Each township would be divided into sections measuring one mile on each side.
1785, 6 miles
As the surveyors began measuring and ________ debated the rest of the details, another piece of business was taking place—clearing unwanted _________ from the area.
Congress, residents
The July 17__ Northwest Ordinance made the rules for how the new territory would be incorporated into the United States.
1787
With the July 1787 Northwest Ordinance, the new land would come under control of the United States ___________. It would not become part of any existing ______.
government, states.
With The 1787 Northwest Ordinance, the land would eventually be divided up and become brand new states—at least __, but no more than __. Congress would appoint a temporary government for each territory formed in the ______.
3 but no more than 5, region
The 1787 Northwest Ordinance policies caused conflict with the ______ people that lived in these areas. A series of short wars ensued and many of these people were forcibly removed from their ____.
native, land
